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Post by Kristykimmy on Sept 7, 2014 16:36:02 GMT -5
Lucinda pulled the rough dress over her head and then put her arms through the sleeves. She put a belt around her waist and attached a small purse that was relatively empty, keeping the real purse inside her sleeve. She leaned down to pull on the simple boots that sat on the floor next to her dressing table. Once done, she pulled her loose hair over her shoulder and loosely braided it, tying it with a bit of twine. She looked herself over in the mirror and stopped with a laugh. She'd left her earrings in. The garnet stones were a clear giveaway that she wasn't a simple peasant. She removed the earrings and placed them on the dressing table. She rose and picked up the cloak that was hanging over her chair and slung it over her shoulders, tying the cords as it didn't have a clasp. She lifted the hood and left her room, slipping out of the manor through the servants halls. Lucinda had been in Drestrier a month after the events in Medieville when a strange idea had struck her. How nice it had been to tour the mid-summer festival with Aldrich. It had been her first time attending a social event not as nobility but as a patron. Despite the fact that they had been hunting for Babewyn, the two had had time to enjoy the sights of the festival. However, she'd noticed a marked difference between how people there had treated her as opposed to Aldrich. They had been more open and friendly to him; they had been deferential to her. Given that Aldrich was older than she, the only difference she could come up with for the difference in treatment was position. At that time, he had been simply a commoner, his status as the missing prince still unknown, but she was a baroness and wearing the colors of House Stallion. To test this, she had borrowed a set of clothes from one of the maids and begun to go into city dressed like a commoner just to ascertain if her theory was correct. Over the last few weeks, she had snuck out in the peasant dress repeatedly. She wasn't sure what she was doing, but she was driven by a desire to better understand the people of Destrier. Prior to meeting the Shadows, Lucinda had no idea that many of them felt helpless in their lives, in the government, that they wanted or needed help that wasn't being provided. In her own way, Lucinda was trying to make use of the life she hadn't lost that day in Medieville. She walked out of the gates and down the hill from the castle, her destination that day was the market. A RP between Celestial and I! 8D Lucinda has taken up a new hobby, sneaking out into Destrier in peasant dress to learn more about the people and make something of her life in aftermath of the bloody coronation. She decides to head to the market on that day.
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Post by Celestial on Sept 7, 2014 18:27:42 GMT -5
The first time Alain had seen Lucinda sneaking out of the castle, it had been mostly by sheer coincidence. He had simply been passing through the courtyard when he noticed a peasant girl walking out of the gates of Destrier Castle. This in itself was not unusual, they had servants coming in and out all the time, but he had a feeling that there was more to her than first appeared. Sure enough, as he looked closer, details revealed themselves to him: the hair colour, the mannerisms, the way she walked all betrayed her as Lucinda. That was something that Alain felt he knew for certain, even before it had been confirmed to him when he could not find the girl anywhere in the Castle, no matter how much he looked or had the servants try to summon her. Initially he had been rather surprised that Lucinda would choose to engage in such things. She had never shown any enthusiasm in going out among the people of Bern or taken interest in their lives. The visit to Medieville had changed her, she seemed to be less naive and more mature but at the same time, disguising herself as a peasant was a rather...drastic option. At the time, he believed it had been a one-time thing that she would try but ultimately find was not for her. But when he had regularly begun to observe her going in and out of the castle in disguise, Alain could not help but feel an odd stab of pride. She was his granddaughter after all. At this rate, going out among the peasants incognito would become a family tradition. After that, the more he thought about it, the more it made sense. Lucinda had interacted with the peasantry in Medieville, even if one of them had turned out to be a king later, and she knew all about the Shadows and their complaints about the nobles. It seems that the visit to Medieville had taught her more than he thought. At the same time, however, Alain could not help but worry. He had said mentioned to Lucinda about her sneaking away since he had been unsure if she would continue it but as time went on and she showed no signs of stopping, perhaps it was best that he took some control of the situation. She had not run into trouble, apparently, but Destrier was a large city full of its own dangers. While he could handle himself when he went out in disguise, she was a young girl and still new to this. She could easily slip up and reveal her identity or worse, somebody did not recognise her as more than just an ordinary peasant and hurt her. So when Alain found out when she planned to sneak away from the Castle next, he decided to take things into his own hands. It was time to pass his knowledge on to Lucinda. He had taken care of all his business the previous day, leaving today completely clear, and put on his own peasant clothes. It was nothing special, a tunic and trousers as well as heavy boots to guard against the wet, muddy streets of Destrier, gloves to hide his hands and a cloak with a large hood both for warmth and to hide his face. He had also rearranged his hair to frame his face differently, though since there was no danger in being recognised, he did not take the pains to hide his appearance that he did back in Medieville with the Shadows. So after switching out his cane for a plainer one, though one that still contained a blade inside it, just in case, Alain too, went out of the gates of Destrier Castle. Since half of a disguise was in how you cted, he kept his head bowed and made sure to lean more on his cane as he passed through. However, even if the guards recognised him, which was unlikely, they paid him no attention. Quick and light on his feet, Alain slipped out, going through the gardens and into Destrier proper. Lucinda, despite her disguise, was easy enough to spot in front of him as she wandered down past the inns, shops and various craft studios that lined the High Street. In the direction she was going, Alain guessed she was heading to the market. With his stride, he quickly managed to catch up to her and grabbed her shoulder. "Excuse me, lass, but what do you think ya're doing?" Alain asked, putting more emphasis on his Bernian accent to hide his usual, noble way of speaking. He also kept his head bowed, the hood hiding some of his features from her. It was important to see how Lucinda would handle herself under pressure. Alain is surprised and pleased as he watches Lucinda sneak around before deciding to teach her the ways of sneaking about in peasant disguise. So dresses up as a peasant himself, follows her down the High Street before stopping her and, all while keeping himself disguised, asks her what she is doing.
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Post by Kristykimmy on Sept 7, 2014 19:22:24 GMT -5
Lucinda was walking towards the market when she suddenly felt a hand grab her shoulder. "Excuse me, lass, but what do you think ya're doing?"She cried out in fright as she turned to see who had grabbed her. It was a man. He was wearing a heavy cloak, the hood of which was obscuring his face because his head was bowed. He leaning on his cane, but she knew not to trust that. Her grandfather always carried a cane but didn't actually need it. His accent was heavy, but it was Bernian. At first glance, there was nothing about him to alarm, but nothing to reassure her either. “What is it any business of yours?” she asked, pulling away from him. His question worried her; why would a random stranger be accosting her? She wasn't even doing anything but walking at that moment. There was no reasonable reason she could come up with for some stranger to ask her that question, let alone grabbing her like he had. It was a busy enough area, he could hardly hope to rob her, not that she thought she looked like a promising target. Did this man know she was a noblewoman, in which case that could be trouble. She could feel her heart starting to pound as adrenaline raced through her, suddenly terrified by this unexpected encounter. She looked around; there was an inn across the way where she could seek help if the man intended to trouble her. “If you don't have a good reason for accosting me, leave me be and be off,” she said, taking another step away and trying to keep the fear out of her voice. “I won't be hassled by you, and I will call the city guards if you intend to trouble me.” Lucinda is grabbed by stranger who demands to know what she is doing. She tries to bluff tough to get him to leave her alone.
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Post by Celestial on Sept 8, 2014 8:24:20 GMT -5
She appeared to be handling it well, which was good. An apparent stranger stopping you as he had done was not a situation anybody wished to find themselves in but Lucinda was fairly calm, despite the traces of fear in her voice and her movement that betrayed what she obviously must have been feeling. Alain allowed her to move away and folded his hands over his cane as he normally did. It was unlikely that she would pick up on that small gesture but he was not willing to let that possibility slip. Perhaps it was a little cruel to frighten Lucinda that way, she was after all young and inexperienced, but at the same time, Alain needed to know she responded to pressure in such a situation. That was the most important thing. Being in disguise meant lying to everyone you met and you needed a good, calm head to maintain that lie. The consequences were not too bad if she was caught in Destrier or anywhere in Bern but who knew where else such a skill would be needed? There was no knowing what the future held after all. If he was going to teach her, Alain needed a baseline to know what more he needed to inform her about and what she had figured out herself. However, he would not push her any more than necessary. Although, he thought to himself with a small smile, first the vase in Medieville and now this. Given how she was keeping secrets from him, it was likely that her fears would be replaced by different ones when she found out who he was. Well, no matter. He could cross that bridge when he came to it. It would be easy enough. For now, he had to get back to the matter at hand. "There's nae need to be rude. I don't intend to give you reason to call the guard, don't worry," Alain replied calmly and lowered his voice. "I just wanted to know what a girl of your rank is doing out here, amongst the peasantry. What would your grandfather say if he knew?" At this he adjusted his pose slightly, assuming the usual stance he wore as the Grand Duke and lifted up his head. While his face was not fully in her view, still being obscured by the hood somewhat, the smile on his face was obvious enough. Perhaps she would recognise him for who he was. Perhaps not. But he has given her the clues he needed to, for now. Alain is pleased at Lucinda's response to being stopped, however he needs to know more and puts more pressure on her. He does this by being a troll, of course. But he tries to clue Lucinda in to his identity.
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Post by Kristykimmy on Sept 8, 2014 8:48:28 GMT -5
The man seemed to take her rebuff calmly enough, making no move to grab her as she moved away. "There's nae need to be rude. I don't intend to give you reason to call the guard, don't worry," he replied calmly and lowered his voice. "I just wanted to know what a girl of your rank is doing out here, amongst the peasantry. What would your grandfather say if he knew?"She felt her heart start to pound harder; how had this man figured that out? Then his entire posture changed. He suddenly stood up straight and proper, no longer resting on his cane in a way to imply he needed it for support, his face more visible than before. She still couldn't see his eyes, but his smile was visible and familiar. She took a step closer and leaned in so she could see his face below the hood. She found herself looking up at her Grandfather. She took a step backward, pressing a hand to her heart and the other to her forehead, and started laughing. “Oh, Grandfather! You frightened me,” Lucinda laughed, unsure of whether to hug him because she was so relieved or to stomp off because she was so annoyed with him for toying with her that way. In the end, she decided to hug him as she asked, “And what does my Grandfather think? Have I been doing something I shouldn't?” Lucinda recognizes Alain once he drops the act and is both relieved and annoyed with him. She asks if he's displeased with her sneaking out in peasant dress.
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Post by Celestial on Sept 13, 2014 12:36:59 GMT -5
It was obvious that he had startled her but at least Lucinda had picked up on all the many hints that he had given her, judging by the way she leaned in and looked up at his eyes. Alain could not help but grin even more, even as she began laughing. He patiently waited for it to cease, allowing Lucinda to get it out of her system. For all the relief she had to be feeling, he did not blame her for it. Finally, however, it ceased and, to some relief, she was not mad at him but simply hugged him as she usually did. "Hardly, Lucinda. You are not the first or the last of the family who has gone out dressed as a peasant. I am not going to be guilty of hypocricy," Alain said as he returned her hug. "I am sorry for scaring you like I did but I wanted to see what you would do if you were confronted. It is important if you're going out in disguise to remain calm if somebody sees through it. You did not too badly, I must say." He let go of her and moved away, although this time he looked her right in the eye. "That said, you're still very new to this. While I approve of you going out in disguise on principle, I don't want you getting hurt for one reason or another. So I thought I'd keep an eye on you, at least for now, and share some of my experience with you so you can better continue this little tradition. I'm afraid I'm not giving you a choice in this matter either, at least not today, Hope you don't mind too much," he grinned and leaned on his cane again. "Though I am curious, how did you get the idea for this? I didn't think you would be interested in going out in disguise like this." And I'm back. Sorry for the wait. ^^;Alain says he isn't angry at Lucinda, far from it, and apologises for scaring her. He then tells her he's going to follow her around, whether she likes it or not, and asks how she got the idea for it.
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Post by Kristykimmy on Sept 13, 2014 15:01:29 GMT -5
"Hardly, Lucinda. You are not the first or the last of the family who has gone out dressed as a peasant. I am not going to be guilty of hypocricy," Alain told her as he returned her hug. "I am sorry for scaring you like I did but I wanted to see what you would do if you were confronted. It is important if you're going out in disguise to remain calm if somebody sees through it. You did not too badly, I must say."“You didn't have to enjoy it as much as you did,” Lucinda replied with a wry smile. “I saw the smile on your face. You really frightened me for a minute. Still, I'm glad to know I didn't fail your test. Who else has gone out like this?” “That said, you're still very new to this. While I approve of you going out in disguise on principle, I don't want you getting hurt for one reason or another. So I thought I'd keep an eye on you, at least for now, and share some of my experience with you so you can better continue this little tradition. I'm afraid I'm not giving you a choice in this matter either, at least not today, Hope you don't mind too much," he grinned and leaned on his cane again.“Thank you, Grandfather. I did not know that. However, I...” Lucinda trailed off, feeling awkward. She hadn't had any real aims for the day, so she wasn't sure what there was to show him that day. "Though I am curious, how did you get the idea for this? I didn't think you would be interested in going out in disguise like this."Lucinda sighed, looking down at her hands, which she was twisting together. It was easy to understand in her own mind, but trying to explain it felt difficult, like all the elements of her thoughts were too scattered to arrange. “It's hard to say where exactly it came from. The peasants don't tell us what they need, and I don't understand why. I thought that by doing this, pretending to be one of them, it would help me to understand them. Aldrich was my friend, but he never said a word about the Shadows and their problems. I don't have much power over anything, but I would have done what I could have to have helped, to help them have their concerns and problems heard. The peasants trusted each other. The banded together to create the Shadows in an effort to solve their problems. Yet, if they had not found Aldrich, I cannot see how that would have accomplished anything. If the people believe I'm one of them, then perhaps I'll have that same confidence that they deny me as a noblewoman.” She paused a moment and then said, “I want to understand. I don't want to shut my eyes and pretend I didn't see what I did in Medieville. I want to believe I was spared for a reason when so many others lost their lives. I've been a very spoiled and ignorant girl, and I don't want to be that anymore.” Lucinda awkwardly attempts to explain her own thought process behind her decision to dress like a peasant and mingle with the people of Destrier.
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Post by Celestial on Sept 14, 2014 10:18:11 GMT -5
Alain returned her smile. "No, you're right, I did not have to. But there is nothing inherently wrong in enjoying something which, is in the end, harmless. I hope you do not fault me for that," his eyes became slight wistful for just a second. "My father, Grand Duke Lachlan, is the first one I am aware of, though perhaps there had been others before him. But his was the most important: it's how he met my mother." He dismissed his words with a wave of his hand before there was any risk of any kind of nostalgia hitting him. Alain was not prone to those feelings, far from it, but this was hardly the time or place to be thinking about the past. Intead, he turned his attention to what Lucinda was telling him about her decision to go out as a peasant. While Alain had guessed that her reasons had something to do with what had happened in Medieville, especially concenring the Shadows, hearing it all come from her own mouth was nevertheless very assuring for him. The fact that she cared enough to go out of her way to listen to what the peasants had to say and try to understand them especially indicated her growth as a person. The trip to Medieville had definitely been good for her. "It's very mature of you, Lucinda, and I am glad that you're finally beginning to understand what it means to be a noble: that we, as those who have power have a responsibility towards those who do not. And the first step of wielding that power is knowledge," Alain placed a hand on her shoulder. "I'm quite proud you managed to come to this decision on your own. However, ideals are all well and good but you need the practical experience to realise them." He grinned again and took his hand off her shoulder before stepping away. "That can be arranged, however. It's why I followed you. So shall we keep going? The day is still young, if we're lucky, we can make it around a good portion of Destrier by sunset. And as today is a market day, we're bound to run into some interesting people," he began walking slowly down the street, though at a pace where Lucinda could easily follow him. "You were heading to the market, weren't you?" Alain did enjoy that but don't hold it against him. He mentions his father briefly, who also went out disguised, but dismisses it and listens instead to Lucinda's reasons. He is proud of her growth but you can't do anything with words alone. So he tells her that they should get going.
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Post by Kristykimmy on Sept 15, 2014 9:44:18 GMT -5
Lucinda did not pursue the topic of her great-grandfather and mother, as Alain seemed to wish to drop it in favor of talking about her motives for disguising herself as a peasant. "It's very mature of you, Lucinda, and I am glad that you're finally beginning to understand what it means to be a noble: that we, as those who have power have a responsibility towards those who do not. And the first step of wielding that power is knowledge," Alain placed a hand on her shoulder. "I'm quite proud you managed to come to this decision on your own.” Lucinda smiled at him, glad to hear that she wasn't doing something stupid and had actually taken away the right thing from her time in Medieville. “However, ideals are all well and good but you need the practical experience to realise them. That can be arranged, however. It's why I followed you. So shall we keep going? The day is still young, if we're lucky, we can make it around a good portion of Destrier by sunset. And as today is a market day, we're bound to run into some interesting people."As Alain said this, he took his hand from her shoulder and started walking down the street. Lucinda followed, curious about his plans. "You were heading to the market, weren't you?"“I was. It seems to be a hub of information. Those who shop there are always willing to talk about anything and everything as they go about their business. I haven't really spoken to anyone much, the occasional shopkeeper has made conversation with me, but I've heard plenty simply by wandering amongst them and perusing the wares,” Lucinda replied. “I will admit, I don't know how to talk to the commoners. I am not sure how introduce the topics I wish to hear their opinions on without looking like I'm digging for something.” Lucinda follows Alain to the market, commenting that she's found that people there talk openly with each other, but she hasn't really figured out to talk to them without unmasking herself.
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Post by Celestial on Sept 15, 2014 19:05:02 GMT -5
Alain smiled down at Lucinda once she had drawn level with him and slowed down slightly so that she could keep up with him. In doing so, he once again leaned on his cane, hunching over to disguise some of his true height and hide a little of his face. However, when he turned to talk to Lucinda, he made sure she could see his eyes. No point in hiding from her. "Good, you seem to have figured out where to go best for information. Marketplaces and inns are the best if you don't know where to start and need general information. For more specific things, you have to go to the people who know about it," he nodded. However, at Lucinda's next comment, Alain's eyes acquired a sheen of amusement. "Lucinda, commoners aren't some otherworldly creature, they are human just like you or I. You simply talk to them. As long as you bring up the topics subtly, people will not mind. Do not be overt. Most are eager to talk, though patience is key." He stopped suddenly and looked up at the building on his left. An inn, not too shabby-looking but hardly the cleanest, as was typical of the stretch of the High Street once you let the vicinity of the Castle but before you hit Market square. A sign hung above it saying 'The Stubborn Mule'. At this time of the day, it was unlikely there would be any carousers in there so it was probably safe for them to enter but there would still be people inside. Those with stories to tell. "Follow me," he told her and entered inside. A small layer of grime covered the windows, although they provided enough light inside to see through. A few barmaids moved slowly between the tables, scrubbing them roughly before going on to another one. People sat here and there, looking up only briefly when they entered before turning back to whatever they were doing. "Innkeepers are a good source of information. If you want to find things out, go to them. They hear many things during their work hours," Alain whispered to Lucinda and smiled. "Drunks work well too, though they can be a touch...problematic if they have had too much. You have to strike a balance. But there don't appear to be any right now." Alain explains to Lucinda how to mine information out of people and sets up the conditions for a practical test, perhaps?
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Post by Kristykimmy on Sept 17, 2014 19:27:04 GMT -5
She walked beside Alain as he talked to her, telling her about information hubs. She noticed a familiar twinkle in his eyes when she mentioned her trouble in talking to the peasants. She had clearly said something that had amused him. "Lucinda, commoners aren't some otherworldly creature, they are human just like you or I. You simply talk to them. As long as you bring up the topics subtly, people will not mind. Do not be overt. Most are eager to talk, though patience is key."She rubbed the bridge of her nose in embarrassed amusement. It wasn't so much that she had seen them as an otherworldly creatures, she just wasn't sure how to speak to them as one of them, and not as herself, which she wasn't supposed to be down here. Alain stopped and looked up at a building to his left. He told her to follow him and he went in. She noticed it was an inn, but she had to follow before she could fully process where they were going. She caught up to him and bit her lip as she looked around, vaguely listening what her Grandfather was telling her about who tended to have the most information. Lucinda couldn't help flashing back to Medieville; the inn there had been a source of misfortune for Lucinda. The plate breaking incident had almost been humorous, on its own it probably would have simply been humorous in retrospect, and, in the end, it would have been barely memorable. However, there had been the murder of five people in that building. She had been trying to get over it, but every dark event that had unfolded over those weeks in Medieville had taken on a darker aura in Lucinda's memories after the slaughter she had seen at the bloody coronation, haunting her dreams in more twisted forms. The inn, the basement with the words written in blood, the snakes of House Ophid, the locked door of her bedroom on the morning of the coronation, all had become nightmare fodder. She took a deep breath, reassuring herself that she was being silly to even allow her mind to connect the places. An inn in Destrier was not an inn in Medieville, and the inn in Medieville wasn't a house of horrors, it had only been that one misfortune. She had to stop thinking that way, letting the nightmares bother her. She turned to Alain. “So, I should speak with the innkeeper, then? What should I say? We are not staying, so won't we be bothering her?” Lucinda follows Alain into The Stubborn Mule and has flashbacks to the King's Arms. She tries to shake it off and asks Alain how to speak with the innkeeper without being a pain.
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Post by Celestial on Sept 20, 2014 18:58:11 GMT -5
Alain watched Lucinda carefully, assessing her every move, so he did not miss how frightened she seemed. Certainly the inn was not a place a young noblewoman would go by herself but it was not too seedy and he was with her. It was not just simple nervousness, despite her question, so something was obviously the matter. She tried to brush it off but it was no use if he had already noticed. A slight frown crossed Alain's face. "People come to inns for most than just staying in. There is also drink and gossip, it is why they are such good places. You won't be bothering her if you ask," he said quietly but his voice had an edge of concern to it. "However, you're scared. It's not good to be scared if you're sneaking about like this. You have to relax, otherwise people will pick you out. If you are confident, you can convince people you belong even if you do not." Alain took her shoulder and took her aside to a nearby table, away from the innkeeper and from the few customers who were in the inn. Although they were all busy with their own conversations, he did not want to be overheard. Once Alain had sat down and rested his cane against the chair, he indicated for Lucinda to do the same. "Before we continue, you should tell me why exactly you are scared. It's not just simple nervousness, is it?" he leaned forward, steepling his hands in front of himself. Suddenly, his eyes lit up with the spark of realisation. Of course. Last time Lucinda was at an inn was the King's Arms in Medieville, where she had either gotten in trouble or...or saw the results of the assassin's handiwork. Why that would bother her now, here of all places, was a question even he could think of the answer too but it was an avenue worth exploring. And perhaps, Alain thought to himself with a smirk, he could reveal to her how exactly he knew that information. "If it's because of what happened in the King's Arms, believe me, that is not a normal occurence," he said, keeping his statement deliberately vague in case he was wrong. "You should get over your fear of that. It won't happen here...but if you wish, you can talk to me about it. You should, in fact, if you want to continue doing this. Fear is dangerous if you're pretending to be somebody else." Alain catches on to Lucinda's fears and takes her aside so she can talk about them and possibly reveal what he did in the King's Arms that round. This will probably go better than Alain's last attempt at therapy.
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Post by Kristykimmy on Sept 28, 2014 19:03:20 GMT -5
Lucinda listened as Alain started to explain about how inns were a gathering place and then mentally cursed when he mentioned that he noticed she was scared. Of course he would have noticed, he never missed anything. Not the vase in Medieville, not the sneaking out in peasant dress, and certainly not her irrational moment a second before. She started to smile and try to say that she was fine, but he took her by the shoulder and led her away from the other patrons and to a table in the corner, which confused her. He sat down and indicated that she should do the same, which she did before glancing around and wondering why they weren't going over to talk to the innkeeper like she thought they were supposed to. "Before we continue, you should tell me why exactly you are scared. It's not just simple nervousness, is it? He paused before continuing. If it's because of what happened in the King's Arms, believe me, that is not a normal occurence," he said. "You should get over your fear of that. It won't happen here...but if you wish, you can talk to me about it. You should, in fact, if you want to continue doing this. Fear is dangerous if you're pretending to be somebody else."“It's not,” Lucinda replied simply. “I know those kinds of things do not happen often. It was simply ill luck it happened to Mistress Ilsa.” Lucinda considered what to say. To admit to having irrational flashbacks to twisted nightmares seemed like a weakness to her. She didn't want to look weak, to have him tell her she wasn't right for this task. It took her right back to those helpless moments on the battlefield of the coronation. She pushed away the thoughts. “I'm not scared, not of this inn,” Lucinda said after a moment's pause. “I'm nervous, certainly, but I want to try this. You're here, Grandfather. I have nothing to be scared of. I am ready to start.” Lucinda meant what she said, but inside she felt mildly ashamed, knowing she was trying the same tactics she used on people to get to do what she wanted, flattery and deflection. That was fine for people like her uncles and and other frivolous lords like Joffrey had been before the coronation, but she didn't feel it was right to use on Alain. She ducked her head slightly and tried to smile a real guileless smile, not the kind that would usually have accompanied her subtle manipulations. She just wondered how much Alain would read into her. After an indecently long absence, Lucinda finally succeeded in shaming her writer into writing a post. Lucinda triumphs again, and the Voice sulks because we haven't killed anyone yet.
Now, the actual summary:
Alain questions Lucinda about her fear and Lucinda tries to avoid questioning about it because she's afraid he'll decide she's not cut out for sneaking. She tries to use charm and flattery to get him to move on, and is mildly ashamed of herself for doing so.
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Post by Celestial on Oct 2, 2014 5:28:34 GMT -5
No, he was pretty sure that despite her words, there was still something wrong. The way she paused, that smile and the fact that she would not look at him despite sounding to assured was proof enough for Alain. Lucinda was definitely keeping something secret, which he had to admit concerned him. She did have a habit of not telling him things in case he did not approve, the vase and the sneaking was proof enough of that. But unlike the vase, this was a lot more dangerous. Whereas that had been a simple novelty, sneaking all depended on how much you could blend in. Fear and lack of confidence made you stand out and that defeated the whole point. Nothing was more dangerous than exposure. Then again, she was still very young and inexperienced. Alain himself had hardly been a master the very first time he ever did this. And if Lucinda should stumble, he would be there to catch her and back her up if she so needed it. It was hardly like it was a life or death situation. With that thought, Alain steepled his hands in front of him and smiled at her. “If you say so. I should give you a chance before I address any flaws because who knows, you might catch them yourself before I even have the opportunity?” he told her very calmly. “You are right, if you do something wrong I won't leave you flailing. While I appreciate not having to do that, it would hardly be the end of the world if you make a mistake. This is your first lesson so I will not put too much pressure on you.” He cast his eye over to the bar, where the innkeeper was watching them with a wary, impatient look. Alain picked up his cane and stood up again, adjusting his cloak before he leaned on his cane. “We should not keep her waiting,” he told Lucinda. “Let's see what we can find out. Or rather, what you can. I'll let you do the talking. After all, this is your lesson,” he lowered his head and his voice “Start off slow. Don't launch into questions immediately. Otherwise people get suspicious.” He guided Lucinda over to where the innkeeper was standing but hung back, letting her take the lead. Standing just behind her, not hovering over her shoulder but not letting his granddaughter out of his range, Alain had a perfect view and was in a good position to back her up. “Yes, can I help you?” the innkeeper asked, folding her arms and glancing in between both Alain and Lucinda. Alain is not assured but he lets it slide, since Lucinda still has much to learn and this is her first time sneaking properly with him. He tells her he'll support her if she makes a mistake before finally dragging her over to the impatient innkeeper to start a conversation.
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Post by Kristykimmy on Nov 5, 2014 18:33:24 GMT -5
Lucinda felt like it was an age before Alain spoke next, as he was clearly studying her body language. Then he smiled at her and seemed to let it pass without further pushing. After he was done speaking, he rose and guided her over to the innkeeper, who had been eying them the entire time they had been talking. “Yes, can I help you?” the innkeeper asked, folding her arms and glancing in between both Alain and Lucinda.“Ah, yes,” Lucinda said, hoping she didn't sound as awkward as she felt. “My grandfather and I came in to escape the heat and get a drink. We've been out most of the day. What do you have?” She glanced at Alain, looking for a sign that she was doing it right. Oh, my gosh, it's been over a month and I am an awful person. I had no idea it had been that long. Thank you for waiting so patiently, Celestial. Lucinda tries to strike up a conversation with the innkeeper.
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